I don't go out of my way to hide it, or tell people. I listen to some music in the car, so I guess I'm not really ashamed of it or anything. If someone brings it up, or acknowledges it in a reasonable manner, then great, but it's just an interest, right?

@Identity Crisis: Yeah, that's basically how I feel about it. I don't really broadcast it like shouting at everyone as I walk down the road, like "I love anime!"and, when it comes to people I wouldn't expect to like anime (some older people I work with, for instance), I'll usually not mention anything about it to them, not really to hide it, but just because I doubt they'd be interested anyway.But otherwise, if it comes up in conversation, that's fine, and sometimes I'll even be the one to bring it up.

I don't go out of my way to tell people about it but if it comes up in a conversation then yeah I'll say I like it. I admit to being a massive nerd and I don't really care what people think about it. It's a big part of who I am so if someone has an issue with that, well we probably wont get along anyway.

Didn´t we have a somewhat similar question in recent (enough) memory? No it is. My Berserk tattoo over my heart isn´t visible or even recognizable but i wear very geeky clothes anyway and have long hair. What would hiding my interest (in manga) bring me, especially due to my job? That´s why i put my comic hobbies right in my work resume. I also talk openly about all aspects of anime/manga in public. As waifus, hentai porn and so on, as i like to unsettle innocent bystanders on their commute .

I don't exactly hide it, but I certainly am not open about it, and if somehow a conversation heads in this direction, I tone it down a lot (even though I'm not that obsessed with manga either).Even with my sister I don't hide it, but I'm very casual about it. Having it as a normal hobby isn't really considered healthy around here. But somehow being a tv series geek is totally cool. Weird society.

Yes, for the most part. Some people from my uni know about it (they found out because of my laptop and phone wallpapers, I didn't actually tell them), and my sister (fast becoming a fan herself), but that's all. When people ask what my hobbies are, I say "reading" and leave it at that. I guess my parents know I watch anime (hard to keep that hidden, unlike the manga), but they think they're like, a Japanese version of The Simpsons or something, and don't bother to know anything else about it.

As for why I hide it, well, that should be obvious. People think anime are like American kids' cartoons (not that I don't watch those ^_^) and that all "comic books" are Marvel and DC-esque. Basically, a hobby exclusively for those with juvenile and/or "incurably geeky" minds. I don't want to be viewed that way (mostly because it isn't true), so I don't mention it unless someone finds out on their own and ask.

Yes, I hide it. My siblings know, as well as some friends from high-school/college since back then I didn't hide it at all. I now hide it due to my age and profession. I'm at my mid-20s, and flaunting that I like anime/manga seems juvenile especially with the reputation it has here as being for kids.I also don't want to be labelled as "geeky/nerdy" that some fans almost seem to be proud of.I'm also expected to be "professional" as part of my job, so suddenly telling my co-workers in my field that I'm interested in this stuff seems like a no-no to me. If they ask about my interests, I do what calstine does as well; just say "reading".

Granted, I do have anime/manga related laptop and cell phone wallpapers, but the reference is so subtle that only fans will recognize it.

Kind of, but not really. I don't go telling people that I watch anime, but when they, let's say, ask me what I'm doing or why I procrastinate so much, I tell them I watch tv shows. They will most likely think of things like Game of Thrones, The Walking Dead and so on, but anime counts as one, too.

The thing is, the people around me don't particularly like anime. A few of my friends do like it and I talk about anime from time to time, but most of the people I know don't watch it, so we never get into the topic of anime and even less into the topic of manga.

My brother, my brother and some of my friends know I watch anime, but I doubt my friends know I watch so much. My mom and my brother do know though, you can't really keep that hidden from your family.

No, not really. I don't go out of my way to mention it, though. Mostly because I default to the notion that the other party isn't interested.

I never understood the feeling to "hide" it. I know grown men who can tell me the current or past roster of every NFL team and probably individual player's salary. I find that much more awkward than watching a Japanese cartoon.

I didn't when I was younger. I guess I'd say I hide it now, because I simply assume the people I meet aren't into it, and it's a bad conversation topic if so. I met an airport security guy a few months ago who recognized my phone lock wallpaper as being the Laughing Man, but sadly that's the closest I've come in like 10 years. Come back airport security guy